GonzoBass

[quote name='Bilbo' post='902187' date='Jul 22 2010, 07:32 AM']Western[/quote] Been waiting for this term to pop up. Thanks Bilbo.

Re: This- [quote name='XB26354' post='899408' date='Jul 19 2010, 09:55 AM']I tend to equate it to an artist with colours on their palette. Some very fine artists can produce stunning works with just red, blue and green.[/quote] Here's an old article of mine, which has been posted at various places around the web, but it relates here again in a 'colorful' way. [quote]I had a student ask me the other day if music theory was really necessary to him as bass player. His point being that there are many of his "bass heroes" out there who can't read music, don't fully understand the modes and really don't even have a clear grasp of major/minor other than the fact that some notes sound better than others at times, (and some should be avoided altogether!) and yet these players are still on the covers of magazines, making CDs, and playing on MTV. To this end, all my student wanted to know was technique, technique, technique! He didn't want to hear all that boring theory about the relative major/minor - just show him how to do the four finger tapping riff! And forget about the modes, how do you do the double thump?!!! I found myself searching for a way to explain to him why he should "eat his vegetables" and not just his "cake" without using the old parental sounding cliches of "... because they're good for you" or even worse, "... because I said so!" Finally, I came up with an age old adage: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." In other words, I could just show you the tapping riff you so desire, young Jedi, and you could use it to impress your friends, fans and possibly even a talent scout or A&R man (the first time they saw it), or I could explain to you what notes make up this riff, the scale or mode it is based on and how to apply this knowledge to other keys or even a progression and you could in turn adapt and expand upon this idea to suit your own playing style and use this technique to express yourself in many new, different and very musical ways, not just use it for what is called "technique for technique's sake" because all you learned was that one riff, in that one key or position. But I could see by the look on his face he hadn't heard anything past the "use it to impress your friends and fans" part. I have found my knowledge of musical theory to be a bit like a box of Crayons. (Follow me here...) You may not use every color you have on every drawing, and in fact to most, that might be considered "overplaying" or in this case, "scribbling on someone else's drawing." In fact, sometimes you could even get by with just using only the black and white crayons to convey your ideas (major/minor?), but when you are able to bring out just the right color for a song, (say, Dorian Mode for a funky feel?) and bring out yet another color for the next song, (maybe Mixolydian for a Blues?) and then convincingly use yet another color for the next (coaxing a Spanish feel from the Phrygian Mode or throwing down some Diminished riffs for a Fusion feel) I think it makes your palette all the more interesting and in turn just may help you to express yourself better and help you to reach your musical goals. In the same instance, extent of music theory (again, like boxes of Crayons) come in many different sizes. The basic box will consist of maybe 8 colors, but through synthetic scales (secondary colors?), harmonization and chords (tertiary colors?) you will find the palette of colorful possibilities to be nearly endless! Remember the 64 box?!!! Learning music theory is a great way of both improving your music vocabulary and expanding your appreciation of music in general. The bottom line to me is: why limit yourself? Need a starting place? By just adding the Flat Five to your minor pentatonic scale, you will find you are in possession of a very cool shade of blue! I hope this helps you as much as it did my students and me.[/quote]

I've always taught my students that the first rule of music is- There are no rules. Let us all remember, what we are discussing here are "theories" (however commonly accepted). Love this thread, BTW!

"Have Fun" cannot be over rated either.

Yes! I tend to say "change" beforehand. Helps keep everyone on track...

Marcus Miller does a quite funky version of "So What" (including the 'feel' intro) that is worth checking out also. There are a few videos on YouTube if you do a search... As mentioned before, I've found it's the A,A,B,A form that throws most at first.

Just take it one step at a time.

[url="http://www.beaverfelton.com/Downloadables.asp"]http://www.beaverfelton.com/Downloadables.asp[/url] Have fun!

[url="http://wheatsbassbook.com/"]http://wheatsbassbook.com/[/url] This site's nicely laid out and I've been (secretly) using it as a teaching lesson plan for years.

Kudos Bilbo and THANKS! Yes, I have "Crossroads" and it is a compilation of both "Pump It" and "Champion". Bought it to replace my old vinyl versions, actually. Every time I feel like I am getting somewhere on the bass, I go throw that on. Always reminds me exactly where I am in the big picture of all things bass.

Sounds like you need to run right out and buy yourself a new bass.

Please Share!

For reference- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqtELR5GyfI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqtELR5GyfI[/url] (Jamerson's isolated bass track)

Yeah, The First Rule of Music applies here.

Other than setting the original key signature at the begining of creating the file, there should be a "Key Signature Tool" in your icons up top to change mid transcription (ledger lines with two flats on it?). What version are you using?

Sounds like you may be getting fret buzz which just needs a proper set up. These two pages should get you started in the right direction: [url="http://bassplaying.com/?q=diy-bass-setup-guide"]http://bassplaying.com/?q=diy-bass-setup-guide[/url] [url="http://www.garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassmanual/setupmanual.html"]http://www.garywillis.com/pages/bass/bassm...etupmanual.html[/url] I hope this helps!

To me, the "King of Chords" is still [url="http://www.michaeldimin.com/"]Mike Dimin[/url]. (Mainly becuase he does what he does so well on a [b]four[/b] [b]string[/b]...) He has a handful of great lessons available on his site but here is a direct link to his chordal/solo bass arrangement of [url="http://www.michaeldimin.com/autumn.htm"]Autumn Leaves[/url] where he not only kindly provides notation as well as TAB but even includes an audio file. What a guy!

Excellent post Major! Just one [i]small[/i] thing. If I may? [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 01:43 AM']G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on A string) F (2nd fing 15th fret on D str) B ( 3rd fing 16th fret on G str)[/quote] - G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on E string)

[quote name='XB26354' post='601863' date='Sep 17 2009, 12:38 PM']If you play each mode starting on the same note (i.e., C) then their differences should become apparent pretty quickly.[/quote] Agreed! This is why I always preferred this guy's approach- [url="http://www.visionmusic.com/lessons/bassmodes.html"]The Modes[/url] I think it's a lot easier to see/hear when they are related to one root, instead of the usual "C major starting on D..." which [u]can[/u] be misleading or confusing to a beginner. Plus, if you turn your speakers on, he plays an example of each. Always helpful... Also, here is a worksheet I give my students- [attachment=33095:Modes.jpeg] (It should print out horizontally on 8 1/2x11) This explains the location of the halfsteps in each mode and how they were derived using the "Starting on D" theory. The partial necks at the bottom are for you to fill in the 8 note pattern each mode creates, which you can then move around the neck to whatever root you'd like. I hope this helps!

Here are some thoughts on the subject- [url="http://songwriting.songstuff.com/article/writers_block/"]http://songwriting.songstuff.com/article/writers_block/[/url] Taken from [url="http://songwriting.songstuff.com/"]http://songwriting.songstuff.com/[/url].

More on interval recognition- [url="http://www.musicalintervalstutor.info/listenpg.html"]HERE[/url]

I've found this site to be very useful- [url="http://ergocise.com/wrists.html"]ergocise.com[/url] It shows several ways of stretching and strengthening your hands/wrists. For example- [quote] Sit in neutral position. Straighten your right arm in front of you at shoulder height, palm down. Bend your right wrist back, fingers pointing to the ceiling. Inhale. Exhale and, with your left hand, gently pull back your right fingers, stretching your wrist. Hold for ten seconds, continuing to breathe. Repeat five times. Repeat five times with your left wrist, assisting with your right hand. This ergocise stretches the wrist flexors and finger flexors (muscles that run through the carpal tunnel and insert into the palm), increases circulation in wrists and hands, and helps prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.[/quote] I did notice quite a bit of difference after only a week of following their advice. I hope this helps you as much as it did me.

Always get a laugh from this one-

The definitive "funky" version- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-SyzPda7RA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-SyzPda7RA[/url] Break a leg this weekend!

I believe the fact that everyone can set their own goals to be one of the beauties of music. If the music is in you and wants out, it will find a way. Whether it be through years of classical study, learning cover tunes by ear to play in a bar, singing in the shower or simply thumping on the dashboard to your favorite tune when it comes on the car radio (Coletrane's quote about playing a shoestring if you're sincere comes to mind). ...and even if it only makes the "musician" happy, it can't be all bad. Now can it? I see the similarities in any of the other Arts- There's amateur school plays, community theater, Shakespeare actors and movie stars. My four year old daughter's drawings which I magnet to the refrigerator, people who paint for "therapeutic reasons", commercial artists who design print ads every day for a living and the master's works hanging in the Louvre. Even if the creation only brings joy or expression to the artist (let alone appreciation or understanding) then it is still valid artwork in my opinion. To each his own I say. Could the fact that Mr. Berlin owns a music school have anything to do with his remarks? Mmmmmaybe...